January Catch Up

I've been so focused on the snow that I haven't really posted about anything else for several weeks. So this is a bit of a catch-up of non-snow-related activities.

Ds2 has been working on three cub badges: 'Home Help', 'Martial Arts' and 'Scientist'. For part of his Scientist badge we made a magnet out of a cork and a magnetised needle. I think the cork was rather large, but it still worked. We tried another with a smaller slice of cork too. Both pointed the same direction as a compass, so methinks that was a success.

Next we have a telescope to make. Watch this space.



The 'Home Help' badge has been rather a shock to ds2. Making his own bed and keeping his room tidy for A WHOLE WEEK! Just clearing his room (which he shares with ds1) was a whole morning's work! Washing up, emptying the dishwasher and sewing on a badge, all rather a challenge. Hopefully the effect will last longer than a week.



Ds2 has also been working on a film presentation about Capoeira for his Martial Arts badge. I'll try and post it up here if I can. I introduced ds2 to the programme 'Windows Movie Maker' and he hasn't looked back. Ds1 has also started using it, putting together some of his photos to music.



I gave ds1 and ds2 building sets for Christmas. Here is ds2 working on his:




It's a good test of his temperament when parts of the building fall apart :)



At the weekend we did the 'tourist' thing with my sister and visited the museums in town. Ds1 didn't want to come with us, but dd and ds2 were willing enough. Here is dd doing a museum 'trail', filling in numbers on her sheet. oooh my 6 year old doing writing! (One has to grasp on to these moments).





And here is ds2 playing with the hands-on technology in the newly revamped museum:





The museum is so much more child-friendly since it's renovations. I've already checked out the family-friendly workshops and I think we will be visiting more frequently. The Ancient Greece gallery might be handy as we are doing some work on Ancient Greece at the moment.

(Don't look now but there's a naked man behind you! )

We visited the SteamPunk Exhibition again, in another museum:



And made the most of the sunshine:

Today we visited friends and explored the woods. A few bumps and scrapes and some tired children at the end of the day, but it was wonderful to get out in the fresh air with some good company. I feel like we've been shut away since before Christmas and I'd forgotten how good it is to get together with others and get muddy!

On the way to the woods we saw a buzzard, cooly perched on a fence post. I think it's the closest I've ever seen one. It confirmed that the large bird we saw a few weeks ago was also a buzzard; it's a similar size to a Red Kite, but without the forked tail. Whoo, I almost sound like I know what I'm talking about.

Dd's moth 'pet':

She has a thing about pets at the moment. We have a pet lemon in the bathroom (yes, a real lemon) and a pet coconut in the fridge and for a while we had a pet snowball called 'puppy' in the garden. We do still have some pet icicles and pet snowballs in the freezer.

Dd on the rope swing ("If I was a bat sat on here then I'd be the wrong way up")